Born Woodrow Wilson Sovine on July 17, 1918 in Charleston, WV, Red Sovine made his first
attempt at a musical career in his teens along with Johnnie Bailes (of the Bailes
Brothers) as members of Jim Pike's Carolina Tar Heels and then as the "Singing
Sailors". Red then opted for a factory job in Elanor, WV working
his way into mid-management while still doing a program on local radio.

In 1948, the Bailes Brothers encouraged Red to join them in Shreveport, LA
After a brief stint at KWKH in Shreveport, Hank Williams lent a helping hand in securing a
slot at WFSA in Montgomery, AL later that same year and a recording contract with MGM.

In 1949, Red returned to Shreveport and joined the Louisiana Hayride replacing Hank
Williams. In 1952, fellow Hayride star Webb Pierce asked Red to come to Nashville to
front his band which led to a recording contract with Decca in 1954 and to appearances on
the Grand Ole Opry.

After the conclusion of the Decca contract in 1959,
Red signed with Starday Records. Though most of his success over the next two
decades would be with Starday, Red also recorded with Arc, Somerset, RCA Victor, Ric, and
Chart.

On April 4, 1980, Red suffered a heart attack while driving his van through
Nashville. The heart attack along with the injuries sustained in the subsequent
accident proved fatal.